Certain US naval vessels were sent out of Pearl Harbor, fully loaded and with orders for weapons free engagement with any Japanese shipping encountered. “Weren’t ready to fight”? Wrong and naive at this late date. The British knew what the Japs were up to- having cracked the then Ultra and magic codes, and knew an attacking force was in progress (supposedly target unknown, but the Brits knew that Hong Kong, Malaya and Singapore were most likely for their own interests to deal with) General Marshall (the seemingly unknowing, was horseback riding on Sunday EST noontime).
No US carriers were in port. Admiral Halsey’s flagship, and one other at sea, the third in port in CA.
Magic & Ultra codes, the Brits had, and shared with “highest command”. Let’s not kid ourselves that FDR knew, and intended this. The lauded icon of the neo Socialist democrat machine of his 3 terms (and his “New Bill of Rights” which he concocted) have been their guidon for decades, aided by “progressives” and Communists around the world (the Globalist corporatist agenda is manifest in all this- to “get along” with wall street and the post WWII world. The lives lost, as Stalin said “are a statistic”).
Admiral Theobald’s excellent book, “The Final Secret of Pearl Harbor: The Washington Background of the Pearl Harbor Attack”, is lauded by Admiral Halsey, and overviewed by Richard Sorge, here (very interesting reading of command opinion, and intelligence known, and ignored. By design).
http://www.richardsorge.com/literature/books/finalsecretofpearlharbor.pdf
NYslimes via Life Magazine, Sept 22, 1945 (after V-J day, just):
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/69091401
The US would have eventually gotten involved as we were a target— of the Japanese. We made ourselves one. The attitude of our State Dept vs. Hitler— see: “In the Garden of the Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin”.— excellent highly revealing/research with first person sources .
Our button down State Dept-— well, they were pals of the German Socialists (and co-opted by espionage, by the nazis, and most definitely by Soviet Communists of Stalin. The known agents of Stalin all documented inside FDR’s cabinet and advisors, stoking the democrat fellow travellers).
Its always been obvious that DC and US Pacific military commands knew the Japanese would strike at or around 12/7, but everyone thought they would strike US military assets in the Philippines. Striking Hawaii was considered madness (and it was).
I also believe FDR was champing at the bit to have at the Nazis. But there was simply no guarantee an attack by the Japanese on the US anywhere in the Pacific would result in US involvement in Europe. It was not at all certain until Hitler declared war on the US three days after PH.